CALLS have been made for Argyll and Bute Council to let cemetery lair holders know their responsibilities for maintaining gravestones.

At last Thursday’s meeting of the authority’s environment, development and infrastructure committee, Councillor Ellen Morton stated that the new policy on gravestones need to be made well-known.

The Advertiser reported last week that the council had compiled a new policy following a fatal accident inquiry after the death of eight-year-old Ciaran Williamson at Craigton Cemetery in Glasgow.

Gravestones deemed to be dangerous will be laid flat, with attempts made to contact the lair holder.

Councillor Morton, who is vice-chair of the committee, said: “People may not have identified that they own the plot.

“They also may feel that it looks perfectly okay whereas we look at it and feel it doesn’t meet the right standards.

“If people are ignoring a gravestone which looks unfit that is their responsibility, but what about people who don’t know that it is theirs in the first place?

“I support the paper. We cannot risk a child being killed by a falling gravestone, but any change to regulations triggers sensitive issues.

“I get the reasons for how family graves are treated, but where the problem arises is that modern legislation has changed.

“We are going to need a publicity process and education process so that people know about what is happening.”

Jim Smith, the council’s head of road and amenity services, said: “If we find something untoward which is likely to occur, we will notify the lair holder to address the issue.

“What we have found is that the steel pins used to erect vertical stones can rust. They should be stainless steel.”